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The English Corner: FALSE FRIENDS (COGNATES)
24.08.10 THE ENGLISH CORNER - Escrito por: Alex García Rosal
 Spanish students of English should be warned(1) about the possible confusion that may arise(2) with certain words which share a similar (and often the same) spelling to Spanish words, but whose meanings cannot be inferred(3) through this misleading similarity.
This confusion may work in both directions: in the reception and in the production of the target(4) language. Words such as “actual”, “collar”, “compromise”, “commodity”, “constipated”, “cynic” do not mean in Spanish “actual”, “collar”, “compromiso”, “comodidad”, “cosntipado” o “cinico”, but “real”, “cuello”, “acuerdo”, “mercancia util”, “estreñido” y “esceptico”.
This confusion is worsened when we consider the fact that these “false friends” may hold a secondary, less usual meaning which can hold the interpretation the Spanish word has. Words such as “premises”, “indecent”, “impertinent”, “excited”, “industry” or “porter”, have “local”, “impropio”, “improcedente”, “emocionado”, “laboriosidad” and “mozo” as primary meaning, but “premisas”, “indecente”, “impertinente”, “excitado”, “industria” and “portero” (“mozo”) as secondary meanings.
An effort should be made(5), and not only on the part of students but on the part of mass media, to ascertain that our language and the target language are being used appropriately.
“False friends” find their source in the different semantic structures each language has.
KEY WORDS
warned(1).- Past participle (inf. warn) advertir.
arise(2).- Surgir
inferred(3).- Past participle (inf. infer) deducir.
target(4).- Objetivo
An effort should be made(5).- Notice how it is used the passive voice, quite usual in English language.
Some more false friends
an abstract: resumen (y no abstracto)
apt: propenso (y no apto, que se dice qualified, able)
career: carrera profesional, ocupación luego del estudio (y no carrera referida al curso universitario, que se dice degree)
discrete: diferenciado (y no discreto, que se dice discreet)
misery: tristeza (y no miseria, que se dice poverty)
preservative: conservante (y no preservativo, que se dice condom)
to resume: reanudar, continuar o reasumir (y no resumir, que se dice to summarize o to sum up)
sensible: sensato (y no sensible, que se dice sensitive)
As usual, be patient, and wait for the translation that would be ready in a couple of days.
Thanks a lot for follow us, and enjoy the learning!
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